Vent valve



W. N. GLAB VENT VALVE July 18, 1933.

Filed Aug. 51, 1931 Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIQE WILLIAM N. GLAB, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO MORRISON BROS OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA 4 VENT VALVE Application filed August 31, 1931.

This invention relates in general to a vent valve and is more particularly concerned with a valve that is adapted to automatically control the pressure within a tank or container '6: for carrying or storage of fluids containing vapors or gas; such as crude or refined 011 and gasoline.

The invention is designed primarily to serve as a breather for the container or tank and is provided with automatically operable valves which are normally closed to the atmosphere, but which are designed to admit air to the tank at such times as the pressure therein may become reduced by a predetermined amount below the atmosphere, and which will operate to enable the discharge of gas from the tank at such times as the pressure therein may become greater than atmosphere by a predetermined amount.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vent valve of the character set forth which is simple in construction and design, economical to manufacture, and in which the valve members are so arranged as to be easily accessible for replacement and repair.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vent valve of this character which is so arranged as to afford an unobstructed passage therethrough into the tank, through which a measuring or gage stick may be inserted without interfering in any manner with the valve mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a vent valve wherein the inlet and outlet valve members are constrained against lateral displacement upon shaking or movement of the tank to which the valve is connected, thereby assuring that the valve will always function properly.

Other objects of this invention will more fully appear from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a single embodiment thereof, and in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a vent valve embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 9.- is a vertical longitudinal section 50 through the valve to show the details of its Serial No. 560,282.

com onent parts, taken substantially on line II- I of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the filler cap and housing which cooperates therewith, and showing the manner in which the cap is held in closed engagementwith the housing, taken substantially on line III-III of F igure 2.

As shown on the drawing: the vent valve of my invention is preferably constructed of a one-piece housing 10 which encloses the various chambers and is provided with an internally threaded opening 11 at the extreme bottom for the purpose of attaching the valve to a vent pipe 12 which is secured and extends above the top of a tank or container 13 on which it may be used.

Through the opening 11 the vent pipe 12 communicates with a centrall disposed chamber 14 within the housi he housing at the top of the chamber 14 is formed to define an opening 15 which is in substantial alignment with the lower opening 11 so as to provide an unobstructed passagewa throu h which a measuring or gaging stick may inserted into the tank. TlllS arrangement also provides means whereby the tank may be readily filled through the valve.

The opening 15 is fitted with a closure ca or cover 16 having a suitable gasket secure to ts lower surface for engagement with the cas ng for sealing the cap in closed position. This cap is provided on its upper surface with a central rib 17 which extends laterally and downwardly over the edge of the cap member where it terminates in an end having an aperture 18 for receiving a pivot pin 19 which is supported at each end in spaced bearing lugs 20 formed on the housin The cap 16 is retained in closed position by means of a clamping member 21 which is substantially U-shaped. Each leg of the clamping member is deflected inwardl at its end and extends into a socket forme in the side of the housin to enable a swinging movement of the clamping member. That portion ofthe clamping member which connects the legs is arranged to engage the central rib and come to rest in a depressed portion 22 therein which is disposed above the center of we 6 in closed osition. Movement in the op site direction is limited by a detent 23 which extends outwardly from the casing ad acent each of the leg members.

At one side of the central chamber 14, the

10 casing is formed to provide an inlet chamber 24 having at its bottom an opening 25 which is surrounded by an outwardly spaced depending flange 26 which is interiorly threaded for engaging the threaded portion of a tubular bushing 27.

The bushing 27 at its upper end 1s mwardly offset to form a valve seat 28 which rojects into the opening 25 of the casing.

he valve seat 25 is outwardly and downwardly beveled from the inner wall of the bushing as shown at 29 to form a. sharp edged seating surface.

Cooperating with the seat 25 1s a dlscshaped valve member 30 which is disposed within the inlet chamber 24, this valve member being rovided with a central stem 31 which pro ects above and below the valve member. That portion of the valve stem below the valve member is slidably supported for axial movement within a guiding bracket 32 which extends transversely of the bushing and is supported thereln. The upper end of the central stem is of such length that when the valve member is raised from the valve seat, the upper end of the stem will strike against the housing at the top of the inlet chamber, thereby limiting the opening of the valve. The lower end of the bushing 27 forms an inlet, port to the inlet chamber 24, and is provided with a circumferential groove 33 on its inner surface which is adapted to receive a resilient ring member 34 by means of which a reticulate screen 35 is held stretched across the inlet port opening. 0

At the opposite side from the inlet cham ber 24, the housing is provided with a partition 36 which extends downwardly from the top of the housing to a horizontally extending partition 37 which extends outwardl and is provided with an aperture 38 who defines a valve seat 39 at the top of an outlet valve chamber 40, the outer extremity of the horizontal partition 37 being connected by means of a curved wall or partition 41 to the bottom portion of the housing adjacent the vent pipe connection.

From the top of the vertical partition 36, the housing extends outwardly over and is spaced above the horizontal partition 37 to formapassageway42,thispassagewayextending downwardly at the end of the casing between the partition 41 and the outer end of the casing 43. At the lower end of the pas- 5 sageway 42 the casing is provided with 9.

peripheral groove 44 for receiving a spring ring 45 by means of which a reticulate screen 46 is retained stretched across the open end of the passageway which forms the outlet port of the valve.

Disposed within the upper end of the passageway 42 is an outlet valve member 47 which cooperatively engages the valve seat 39. This valve member is disc-shaped and is provided with a central stem 48 which projects above and below the valve member. That portion of the stem which is below the valve member is supported for longitudinal movement through a guide bracket 49 which is secured at its ends to the horizontal partition 37 and curved partition 41 respectively. The housing above the valve member is formed into an internally threaded flange 50 for receiving a hollow cap 51 which is pro vided with a guiding socket 52 arranged to slidablfy receive therein that portion of the stem a ove the valve member 47.

The cap 51 is made of hollow construction in orderto provide sufiicient clearance for weight members 53 which are disc-shaped and which are provided with central apertures so that they may be threaded over the upper end of the stem and rest against the upper surface of the valve member 47.

With the foregoing arrangement, it will be observed that weights may be added or taken off the valve member simply by unscrewing the cap 51 which enables access thereto, the cap member 51 being suitably formed as shown at 54 for receiving a suitable wrench or other tool by means of which the cap may be unscrewed.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my invention provides an improved vent valve for controlling the ressurewithin a storage or carrying tank or volatile fluids, which is simple in construction and design and economical to manufacture; which is pro vided with valve members which are easily accesssible and which may be readily removed for replacement and repair; in which the valve members are retained against lateral movement by virtue of shaking or moving the tank to which the vent valve is connected; and a vent valve having a central passageway which afiords an unobstructed passage through the valve into the tank for the insertion of a gaging or measuring stick, the measuring or gaging operation not interfering with the valve mechanism in any way.

Now, it is of course to be understood that although I have described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, the invention is not to be thus limited but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vent valve, a valve housing having a pipe connection and a gaging opening in alinement with said connection, a valve struclla' ture on one side of said opening below the plane of the opening, a second valve structure on the o posite side of said opening and protrudin above the plane of the opening, a closure or said :(pemng swingable toward the first mention valve structure and a fastening bail for said closure also swingable toward said first mentioned valve structure.

2. In a valve of the class described, a housing having a centrally disposed chamber provi ed with a central opening at its lower end adapted for connection to a vent pipe, an inlet valve device on one side of said chamber, an outlet valve device at the other side of said chamber, both of said devices having valves 0 enin upwardly and controlling the flow of uid t rough valve passageways terminating at the under side of said casing at opposite sides of said central opening, said housing having disposed at its upper end between said valves a gaging o ening in alinement with said lower contra o ning, a pivotally supported closure'mem r for said gaging opening, one of said devices protruding above the plane of said gaging opening, and means for securing said closure member in proper position relative to said gaging opening comprising a bail pivotally supported on said housing, said closure member and bail being swingable to the side of said gaging opening opposite said protruding device into disengaged positions.

WILLIAM N. GLAB. 

